Most new car consumers are walking straight to the SUV and crossover section of their local dealerships, as many demand versatility and on-road presence above all else. Modern crossovers are more affordable, practical, and viable as daily drivers than ever, thanks to brands now building them on conventional monocoque platforms. In doing so, this has effectively deconstructed the sedan market, resulting in formerly popular models being discontinued.
- Base Trim Engine
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1.5L I4 ICE
- Base Trim Transmission
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8-speed automatic
- Base Trim Drivetrain
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Front-Wheel Drive
- Base Trim Horsepower
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158 HP @5500 RPM
- Base Trim Torque
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184 lb.-ft. @ 1750 RPM
- Base Trim Fuel Economy (city/highway/combined)
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29/39/33 MPG
- Make
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Volkswagen
- Model
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Jetta
- Segment
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Compact Sedan
Volkswagen is a brand that has substantially cut its sedan offerings, with the likes of the Passat and Arteon no longer being available. Impressively, the Jetta remains a reasonably popular option for the brand, despite it offering a plethora of crossovers and SUVs. Many consumers still value the compact sedan’s reputation for being a functional and dependable model that works well in urban and extra-urban environments.
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta’s Longstanding Reliable Reputation
It Scored 82/100 In J.D. Power’s Quality And Reliability Rating
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta is one of the more premium options in its segment, but it excels at delivering a robust and trusting ownership experience, despite its more complicated turbocharged engine configuration. J.D. Power issues the model with an 82/100 quality and reliability rating, joined by an 82/100 score for the driving experience, 83/100 for resale, and 71/100 for the dealership experience, bringing its consumer-verified overall score up to 80/100.
According to iSeeCars, the Jetta holds a 7.5/10 reliability score, inducing 8.5/10 for retained value and 8.0/10 for safety, bringing its overall score up to 8.0/10. The publication indicates that the model will cover an average lifespan of 11.3 years or 143,900 miles with a 12.3 percent probability of reaching 200,000 miles.
Low Ownership Costs Make Life Easier
According to Edmunds, a base 2026 Volkswagen Jetta S is only going to cost you $39,456 to own over the course of five years and 60,000 miles. Key costs include $3,057 on maintenance, $1,171 on repairs, $10,116 on depreciation, and $10,794 on fuel. According to CarEdge, the average Jetta ownership experience over five years is expected to come in at $35,242, which includes $9,370 on depreciation, $6,795 on fuel, and $1,910 on maintenance.
iSeeCars suggests that on the depreciation front, you can expect the Jetta to lose $9,050 or 40.2 percent of its value after five years and 60,000 miles, which is about five percent worse than all of its main rivals, but around four percent better than the worst depreciating cars in the segment. RepairPal estimates an average annual repair cost of approximately $609 and an above average reliability rating of 4.0/5.0.
Backed By Volkswagen’s Extensive Warranty
Volkswagen backs all 2026 Jetta models with its Carefree Coverage suite, headlined by a four-year or 50,000-mile New Vehicle Limited Warranty and a matching four-year or 50,000-mile powertrain warranty. Additionally, the package includes three years or 36,000 miles of 24/7 roadside assistance and a two-year or 20,000-mile Scheduled Carefree Maintenance plan, which covers your first two oil changes and inspections at no cost. Routine service intervals for the Jetta are recommended every 10,000 miles or 12 months. Minor maintenance, including oil and filter changes, occurs at the 10,000-, 30,000-, and 50,000-mile marks, while standard maintenance, including brake fluid flushes and more thorough inspections, is required at 20,000-mile intervals.
As of early 2026, there are no active safety recalls specifically listed for the 2026 Jetta. However, the 2025 model year did see a small-scale recall affecting roughly 19 units regarding potential transmission failure leading to a loss of drive power. The 2026 Jetta holds a 3.9/5 overall score on the Edmunds owner review section, with some highlighting it as a comfortable and fuel-efficient daily driver with a spacious interior and a surprisingly engaging drive. However, some owners report significant turbo lag, noisy cabin, and mixed feelings about the interior material quality.
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A Well-Spaced Trim Line-Up
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta is available in four defined trims, covering practical essentials to near-luxury refinement. The entry-level S trim costs $23,995 MSRP and serves as a high-value foundation, featuring standard comfort-focused Climatronic dual-zone automatic climate control, a leather-wrapped multifunction steering wheel, and rain-sensing windshield wipers.
On the entertainment front, you get an 8.0-inch floating infotainment touchscreen and an 8.0-inch Digital Cockpit cluster, accommodating wired App-Connect for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto through two 45W USB-C ports.
Stepping up to the Sport trim will cost you $25,305, while adding heated front sport-style seats, a black headliner, and stainless steel pedal caps, while maintaining the same core technology found in the S.
Impressively Premium Flagship Trims
The SE trim significantly elevates convenience for $26,985, adding CloudTex perforated leatherette upholstery, an eight-way power-adjustable driver’s seat with memory functions, and keyless access with push-button start. It further streamlines the user experience with wireless App-Connect, a wireless device charger, and remote engine start. Rear-seat convenience also improves with the addition of a center armrest and extra USB-C charging ports for passengers.
At the top of the lineup sits the $29,995 SEL trim, which transforms the Jetta into a premium family sedan. It replaces the standard surfaces with perforated Vienna leather seating and adds ventilation to the front seats alongside heated outboard rear seats. The SEL’s entertainment and convenience features are the most robust, headlined by the 10.25-inch Digital Cockpit Pro with integrated navigation and a high-fidelity BeatsAudio sound system. This trim also includes a power-tilting and sliding panoramic sunroof, a heated steering wheel, and a customizable 10-color ambient lighting system.
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Punchy Performance At Low Speeds
The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta prioritizes efficiency and smooth power delivery via the German automotive group’s turbocharged 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which is the exclusive unit across the range. This engine generates 158 horsepower at 5,500 RPM and 184 pound-feet of torque starting low in the rev range at 1,750 RPM. The result is punchy acceleration for city driving, without compromising grunt or refinement at highway speeds.
Volkswagen discontinued the manual transmission for base models, so the engine is now exclusively paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission with Tiptronic manual gear control mode. In terms of performance, the Jetta remains competitive for its class, as it typically achieves a 0 to 60 MPH acceleration time of 7.1 seconds before reaching an electronically limited top speed of 126 MPH.
Appealing Fuel Consumption And Range Estimates
With its smaller wheels, the base Volkswagen Jetta achieves 29/40/34 on the EPA’s city/highway/combined cycle, while consuming 449 miles on a single 13.2-gallon tank of gas. This means that you will get to save $1,500 in fuel costs over the course of five years, spend $1,300 on fuel every year, and $2.16 to drive 25 miles. A full tank of gas will set you back by around $39.
Upgrading to the higher trims yields a 29/40/39 MPG consumption result and 436 range figure due to the larger wheels. The five-year fuel cost savings decrease to $1,250, while your annual fuel cost rises to $1,350 and the cost to drive 25 miles to $2.23.
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The Volkswagen Jetta Soldiers On
The Volkswagen Jetta becomes less popular with each year that passes, and this is a trend that is likely to progressively continue as crossovers and SUVs rapidly transition into the new norm. The German brand only discloses sales performances in the U.S. on a quarterly basis. Based on its 2025 results, we see that it was able to sell 54,291 copies of the Jetta, including the performance-oriented GLI model. This reflects a 24.4 percent decline in demand year-on-year, which is one of the worst sales declines it experienced in its catalog.
While individual unit sales are down, this remains a hugely popular model, with its sales numbers being on-par with the likes of the Volkswagen Taos, of which the brand sold 55,198 copies throughout last year. We also have to point out that while the Jetta is a popular name in the U.S., it still has to compete with the likes of the Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, making its performance all the more impressive.
Sources: The EPA, iSeeCars, Edmunds, CarEdge, and J.D. Power